The blog will offer purely objective and candid analyses for a better understanding of the events that keep happening and that provide dynamism and direction to the flow of the history and development of the human societies. Being a forum, the comments and opinions from readers whether for or against the views expressed in it, are gratefully welcome. Suggestions for improving the blog are welcome.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Ouster of Prime Minister Gillani

June 20, 2012

By Saeed Qureshi

The disqualification and consequent
unceremonious departure of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani from
the power citadel is a phenomenal political development that should considerably
undermine the political standing of the Pakistan People’s Party. As the pinnacle executive of the country, he remained
tangled in the eye of a political hurricane for all these four years.

Had president Zardari and the
ruling elite class of the PPP faithfully sailed along the PMNL in fulfilling
the accords reached out between these two paramount political parties, this grave
debacle could have never happened. The country would have moved forward with
institutional consolidation and national harmony. With thoughtful plans, they
could have propelled Pakistan towards prosperity and societal peace. Perhaps
the stifling civic amenities would not be there in such frightening and abysmal
proportions as these are now.

With the achievement of historic
mandate in both the houses of the parliament, the PPP top brass wanted to shed
the extra piggy bag they thought was useless to carry along. The country turned
into a political battlefield between these two leading political forces that
wrecked the prospects for a strong, stable and democratic Pakistan.

The incessant political
belligerency distracted both the top parties from the pristine and pressing
goal of nation building. Instead they frittered away their time and energies in
browbeating and undermining each other. The fringe parties took sides and those
with the government were hugely benefitted in various ways.

Presently the country is in the worst
shape than what it was four years ago. With the advent of a democratically
elected government and the exit of the military ruler president Pervez
Musharraf, the people genuinely looked forward to a glorious and promising future
for Pakistan.

Musharraf also became a guinea-pig
although he was totally piggish in his 9 years of intrigues- laden rule. The perpetuation
in power is the most coveted objective of every human in power. But the
strategy of finding back-doors, side alleys and unworthy hangers-on to remain
in power finally boomerangs and closes the chances for an honorable return.

In Pakistan, it is Musharraf and in
early years it was Sikandar Mirza who could not step back on the soil of
Pakistan that they ruled with iron hand, with trickery and by quashing the
democratic culture. Elsewhere in the world, one can find several dictators who brutalized
and swindled their own people and transferred huge wealth to the foreign banks.

Those who still managed to survive
consequently met with an agonizing and dreadful end. The two recent examples
are that of Libyan strong man Col Muhammar Qaddafi and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
All these unfolding events are hard lessons for the lustful leaders to resist
illegitimate temptations.

This unprecedented ignominy was
spattered on the face of the out-gone prime minister because he vowed to save
his party boss. He sternly declined to write to the Swiss authorities to reopen
the notorious Swiss Banks’ cases of president Asif Ali Zardari. He chose the altar over his exalted premiership.

As such it is a spectacular yet
stupefying display of becoming a sacrificial animal. But how can the party
chairman return that unique act of sacrifice? There is no way because sooner
there is going to be another noose around the neck of president as well. The
irony is that despite his self immolating sacrifice, Mr. Gillani cannot ward
off the dangers accruing to Mr. Zardari because of latter’s money laundering
scams. Someone will have to write to Switzerland for reopening the stalled
cases.

By comparison to his party chief,
Mr. Gillani still had some saving grace with the people of Pakistan and more
specifically in Multan constituency. Mr. Zardari does not command even that
much of respect in the entire Pakistan because of his sullied reputation of
being the most voracious graft taker.

Unless his name is cleared from a
litany of serious charges including the stashing of millions of dollars in Switzerland,
he would remain to be stigmatized as a shady character. And the clearance of
his name from a few murders to stupendous financial scams is as impossible as
rising of the sun from the west.

So Prime Minister Gillani has voluntarily
thrown himself into the ignominious dustbin of history for the sake of a person
who cannot rehabilitate even his own lost honor and besmirched name. It was
ostensibly a bad bargain. But if it gives a tingling of clear conscience and
inner satisfaction to Mr. Gillani, there can be no further debate on this
issue.

But Mr. Gillani’s absurd heavy baggage
was not only his hand-folded loyalty and unswerving servitude to his boss. It
was also the unabashed, unhindered and frenzied forays of his two beloved sons
to bask in the glitter of wealth that could be summoned by simply getting a nod
or signature of their powerful father.

Now while the father has wilfully
drifted into the unforeseen landscape of future, his sons face legal reprisals
for their unscrupulous adventures for making huge and fast buck running into
billion in either rupees or dollars. So the family of Gillanis is destined for
a prolonged ordeal.

Now President Clinton (Monica
Lewinsky affair) had to tread the same path of political isolation and oblivion.
Richard Nixon was irredeemably dishonored for a wrong step for which he was
partially responsible (Watergate). But here we have a prime minister who
refused to abide by the highest court’s injunctions and stubbornly opted for a
political demise.

A horse looks well settled in his
stable, a cat is a lion in her owns den and a pigeon is safe in his own cage
because these speechless animals are fed by their masters. For Mr. Gillani his
placid place would be his residence in Multan. But would he be mentally peaceful
and justify that he was the victim of a judicial activism biased towards the
PPP. Will he not in his vacant or pensive mood ponder over his personal
incompetence and inability to set into motion a model of good governance? Even
if he does, the time for redemption of the lost honor or regaining of the same
glory is unthinkable for him.

How popular, adored and powerful
this strikingly handsome young man with laurels of being committed political
activist and a die-hard PPP cadre, was on March 25, 2008 when he became a
democratically elected prime minister of Pakistan. He was voted into that
august office with unparalleled mandate from all the political parties across
the board. And look at the dark depth in which he has thrown himself and his lustrous
political career.

For PPP, a grass-root and Populist
Party, it is the rudest jolt. The appointment of Mr. Gillani’s’ successor is
not going to make the matters any salubrious for either the president or the party’s
smeared profile. The only sliver-lining to stem further erosion of PPP and its
stalwarts is to announce midterm elections without waiting for the 5 years’ tenure
to mature.

This appears to be a more rational approach
and the best way-out for the PPP to secure the rest of its goodwill. This decision
could help in salvaging its bruised image. If the party hierarchy still dithers
and cannot see the ominous writings on the wall, it is doomed politically and
may go with the wind of obscurity and face the dilemma of irretrievable rehabilitation.
For how long, no one knows!

About Me

Columnist/Analyst/ Former Diplomat.
After obtaining my master’s degrees in Urdu and English literature from Punjab University, I started my career by teaching in a college. Thereafter, I had a stint in the diplomatic service of Pakistan. Finally I landed in journalism, an occupation that I am wedded to for over 20 years now.
I am a strong believer in a civil society and staunch opponent of exploitation in all forms.